Mayor to appoint four Zoning Board members

Published 10:05 pm, Wednesday, November 7, 2012

STAMFORD -- Paving the way for a possible shakeup on one of the city's most powerful boards, Mayor Michael Pavia will have four Zoning Board openings to fill in the coming months.

Of its five members, only Chairman Thomas Mills, is guaranteed to serve beyond this year.

Two Republican members, Audrey Cosentini and Barry Michelson, are to see their three-year terms end Dec. 1. Their Democratic counterparts, Maria Nakian and Harry Parson, are serving on expired terms. Parson's term came to a close last December, while Nakian's ended more than a year ago, on Dec. 1, 2010.

Kathleen Donahue, a Democratic alternate board member, is also serving on an expired term. Republican alternate Jeff Jonas will see his term expire Dec. 1. A second Republican alternate seat remains unfilled.

Zoning Board appointments are generally closely watched. But any board changes are likely to be especially scrutinized, as the city awaits a controversial plan by Harbor Point developer Building and Land Technology to build a $750 million headquarters for hedge fund Bridgewater Associates on the South End waterfront.

For nearly a year, the board has been entangled in a fight with BLT over demolition of a boatyard on the development site; board members have at times expressed different opinions over how best to proceed.

Under the city Charter, municipal board members are appointed by the mayor and then approved by the Board of Representatives. Traditionally, the mayor selects the candidates from a list provided by the two local parties. Pavia, however, has chafed at the informal practice, saying it excludes independents and favors political "players."

While Pavia may very well reappoint the current members, it appears he will have several new Democratic candidates, at least, to choose from.

Mallozzi said he hoped to submit at least two additional candidates. The DCC, he said, is actively recruiting Democrats to serve on city boards. Particularly on the Zoning Board, it can be difficult to attract interest in the volunteer positions, which are often time-consuming and technically demanding.

The plan to give the mayor a choice in the appointment process represents a departure from past practice, in which the two local parties have at times only supported one individual for consideration.

Mallozzi made it clear that going forward, he would avoid hamstringing the mayor in such a manner. "The charter says the mayor is the one that makes the appointment," he said. "If we just give him one name, then the party is making appointment. We're not going to do that."

He said that assuming both Cosentini and Michelson wanted to serve again, the RTC would cast their names for reappointment.

The two Republicans, Mahoney said, had done a "great job serving the citizens of Stamford."

Cosentini has been on the board since 1995, while Michelson joined in 2010 as a late appointment made by Pavia. Michelson is running for a state Senate seat.

Michelson, Parson and Nakian have each expressed a desire to continue serving on the Zoning Board. Cosentini could not be reached for comment.

Adding a potential sense of urgency to the nomination process is a new city Charter amendment limiting the time that members can serve without being reappointed.

In the past, members whose terms had expired could serve indefinitely until the Board of Representatives approved a successor. Under the new rule approved Tuesday, they can serve no more than six months without being reappointed.